Air NZ: Update 5: Auckland fuel supply issue
19-Sep-2017 Air New Zealand is beginning to refuel long-haul aircraft at Wellington International Airport as it continues to respond to fuel restrictions imposed following the temporary shut-down of Refining New Zealand's pipeline to Auckland.
A Boeing 777-200 aircraft will operate to Wellington this afternoon with just the pilots on board in order to fill up and return to Auckland in preparation for further long haul operations.
Air New Zealand Chief Operations Integrity & Standards Officer Captain David Morgan says this is to accommodate declining supplies in the Pacific.
"On that basis we are switching to a different mode of operation whereby Wellington, supplemented by Australia and those Pacific destinations able to support fuel uplifts, will be used to source the extra fuel required to maintain scheduled services."